Jen Cousins joins us for a conversation about her activism. She is a mom of four public school kids in in Orlando, Florida, and a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In 2021 she co-founded the grassroots Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP) to combat censorship in their school district.

The Florida Freedom to Read Project rapidly grew to tackle censorship statewide and has collaborated with such national groups as Red Wine and Blue, Voters of Tomorrow, PEN America, Every Library, The Brooklyn Public Library, We Need Diverse Books, Moms Rising, the Human Rights Campaign and Democracy Forward. FFTRP collaborates locally with Come Out With Pride Orlando, The Center Orlando and Kissimmee, Zebra Youth, The Orlando Strong Symposium and author Rob Sanders.

Jen has testified before Congressman Jamie Raskin’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about the harms of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, has spoken at numerous Florida school board meetings, the Florida Board of Education, and at rallies in support of LGBTQ+ rights. She's been featured in the Washington Post, NPR, NBC News, USA Today, Vice Motherboard, The Suburban Women Problem and The Progress Report, along with local Central Florida media. She is the 2023 recipient of The Center Orlando’s Trailblazer Award.

Coffee and water will be available with snacks served during the social hour after the meeting so plan to stay a while.